Feed-water regulator.



' No. '66l,906. Ptented Nov. l3, I900.

- l. H. DAVIS.

FEED WATER REGULATOR. (Application filed Dec. 4 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No..se|,9o6. Patented Nov. 13, I900.

l. H. DAVIS.

FEED WATER REGULATOR.

(Application filed Dec. 4;, I899.)

(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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NITED STATES PATENT Erica,

ISAAC I-I. DAVIS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY H. WESTINGHOUSE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FEE'D-WATER REG u LATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,906, dated November 13, 1900.

A li ti fil d December 4, 1899. Serial No. 789,085. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: sufficient freedom and rapidity to permit the Be it known that I, ISAAC H. DAVIS, a citidesired operation of the valve 1. zen of the United States, residing at Boston, When the water in the boiler rises above county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, the desired level, so that it seals the right- 55 have invented or discoveredacertain new and hand end of the small passage 10, water will useful Improvement in Feed-Water Regulaflow into the chamber 4 below the piston 3 tors, of which improvement the following is when the piston rises, and on account of the a specification. restricted capacity of the passage and the V The object of my invention isto provide an incompressibility of the water the resistance 60 10 improvement in feed-water-regulating appaof the water 'to displacement by the piston 3 ratus for reservoirs or boilers; and to this end will retard or prevent the closing of the valve my invention consists in new and improved 1, so as to permit water to return to the means whereby the supply-of water to a respump through the passage 8 when the pump ervoir or boiler may be regulated by varying plunger or piston is making its suction- 65 the operation of the valve mechanism of the stroke. The result is that on the return water-supplying apparatus. stroke of the pump plunger or piston the In the accompanying drawings, which water which had been withdrawn from the illustrate applications of my invention, Figboiler is returned thereto instead of an addiure 1 is a view, partly in section and partly tional quantity which might have been drawn 7o in elevation, showing my invention as apintothe pump through its suction-valve if the plied to the discharge-valve of the feed-pump; discharge-valve 1 had remained closed. The and Fig. 2, a similar View showing it applied operation of the pump 2 willcontinue to move to the suction-valve of the pump. the water back and forth through the passage In Fig. 1 of the drawings the discharge- 8 so long as the water in the boiler is high 75 valve 1 of the feed-pump 2 is shown conenough to seal the passage 10 and flow into nected by a rod 9 toa piston 3, which is fitted the chamber 4, and when the water falls beto workin acylindrical chamber 4, formed in low that height the water in the lower part of a casing 5, which is connected to the shell 6 the chamber 4 will drain into the boiler and of the boiler in such a position that the lower permit the steam to have access to the under 80 side of the passage 7 shall be on a line with side of the piston 3 when it rises. In order the desired water-level in the boiler. A to insure the proper drainage of the chamber V small or restricted passage 10 forms a com- 4, the passage 10 is slightly inclined downmunication between the steam-space of the Ward to the right. boiler and the lower portion of the chamber When the water-level is low enough to per- 85 5 4 when the water is at or below the desired mit the drainage of the chamber 4 and the level and is so located that it may be parpiston 3 is again in contact with steam only tially or Wholly covered at one end by the on its under side, the valve 1 is free to seat piston 3 when the piston is in its lowest poand close the passage 8 when the pump is sition. The pump delivers waterto the boiler making its suction-stroke, so as to retain in 90 through the discharge-passage 8, and in dothe boiler the water which has been delivered ing so the discharge-valve l is lifted from its thereto by the pump, and this operation will seat and the piston 3 is moved upward. So continue until the water-level in the boiler long as the water in the boiler does not rise again rises high enough to cause the water to above the desired level the piston 3 may rise enter the chamber 4 through the passage 10 5 5 and fall with the opening and closing movewhen the piston 3 makes its upstroke.

ments of the valve 1 without any appreciable In order to regulate the capacity of the pasresistance, because the piston is then exsage 10, I provide a small valve 11, which may posed on both sides to direct contact with be adjusted so as to restrict the flow therethe steam in the boiler, which is compressible through to any desired degree. I00 and may pass into and out of the lower part If an ordinary form of valve be employed of the chamber 4 through the passage 10 with as a discharge-valve, the lift of the valve nec- 2' eeieoe essary to secure an opening or passage equal in capacity to the passage 8 might be comparatively small, and therefore the lift or upward movement of the piston 3 might be so small that only a small quantity of 'water could enter the chamber 4 below the piston or such a quantity as might be quickly displaced by the downward pressure of the piston thereon, so as to permit a comparatively quick closing of the valve. In order to insure the holding open of the valve at the] proper time, I provide foraconsiderable upward movement of the piston by employing on the lower side of the valve 1 a tapered extension 12, which when the valve is raised from its seat serves to restrict the capacity of the port controlled by the valve in such a manner that a considerable lift of the valve is necessary or a greater lift than would be necessary without the extension 12, or if the valve were made in any of the usual forms, I so long as the capacity of the port uncovered l by the valve in its upward movement is less than the capacity of the passage 8 below the valve, the pressure below the valve will tend l to lift it, and the efiect of the extension 12 I will be to insure a considerable upward movement of the valve and of the piston 3 or such a movement as will permit a considerable quantity of water to enter the chamber t be- I low the piston when the water in the boiler f rises above the desired level.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings my improvement is shown in combination with the suctionvalve 13 of the feed-pump 2, the piston 3* of the regulating device being connected with Q the valve by means of a rod 14, so that they; move upward and downward together. The casing 5 is connected with the shell 6 of the; boiler, so as to-admit steam above and below 1 the piston 3 when the water in the boiler is at or below the desired level and so as to permit water to flow through the passage 10% into the chamber below the piston when the water in the boiler rises above the desired level. So long as the piston 3 is exposed on 1 both sides to contact with the steam in the boiler the valve 13 is .free to move up and down in accordance with the operation of the pump plunger or piston but when the water in the boiler rises high enough to close the. passage 10 to the entrance of steam water will flow into the chamber below the piston 1 3 and check its downward movement, so as to hold the valve 13 open, thereby permitting water which had been drawn into the; pump to be discharged through the suctionvalve 13, so as to reduce or stop the supply to the boiler. I

For the purpose of adjusting the capacity of the passage 10 I employ a tapered needlelike valve 11*.

It will be understood that my improvement is equally applicable to a boiler or toareservoir either open or closed and that it is immaterial what the liquid may be the height .of which is to be regulated.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Paten t' 1. In a water or other liquid regulator. for reservoirs or boilers, means for regulating the supply of'water or other liquid, comprising a piston adapted to be exposed to contact with the liquid only when the level of the liquid reaches or exceeds a certain height, and a connection from the pistonto a valve of the feed-pump, whereby the operation of the valve may be varied by the action of the liquid in the reservoir or boiler on the piston;

2. 'lhecombination with a feed-pump and a reservoir or boiler to which water or other liquid may be supplied by the pump, of a piston, a valve controlling a passage through which water or other liquid may pass on its way to' the reservoir or boiler, and means whereby the piston, when acted on by water or other liquid in the reservoir or boiler, may hold the valve open to permit a return flow of liquid through the passage controlled by the valve.

3. The combination, with a reservoir or boiler and a feed-pump for sup plying Water or otherliquid thereto,ofaregulating device connected to pump-valve and comprising a piston which is exposed to contact with thesteam, vapor, air, or gas above the level of the liquid in the reservoir or boiler, when the level of the liquid is below acertain height, and which is exposed on one side to contact with the liquid in the reservoir or boiler when it reaches or exceeds a certain height, and means whereby the resistance of the liquid to movement of the piston may retard or prevent the closure of the valve.

4. The combination, with a reservoir or boiler and a pump for supplying water or other liquid thereto, of a piston connected to the discharge-valve of the pump, a chamber or space into which water or other liquid may be admitted below the pistonanda restricted passage connecting the chamber orspace with the interior of the reservoir or boiler, whereby the resistance to displacement of the liquid may cause the valve to be held open.

5. The combination with a feed-pump and a reservoir or boiler, of a piston having its faces exposed to contact with the steam, air or other gas in the reservoir when the liquid- .level is below a certain height, and having one .face exposed to contact with the liquid when its level reaches or exceeds that height, and a connection from the piston to a valve of the feed-pump whereby the action of the valve may be varied by the resistance of the liquid to movement of the piston.

6. The combination with a feed-pump and a reservoiror boiler, of a chamber connected to the interior of said reservoir or boiler, a piston in said. chamber the movement of which is adapted to be retarded by liquid therein and a connection from the piston to a valve of the feed-pump.

7. The combination with a feed-pump and a reservoir or boiler, of a piston adapted to be exposed to contact with water or other liquid only when the level of such liquid reaches a certain height in the reservoir and a connection from said piston to a valve of the feed-pump, said valve being provided with an extension beyond its seat whereby a considerable movement of the piston is secured.

8. A casing adapted to be attached to a boiler or reservoir,- a chamber in the casing, a piston in the chamber, a passage from the chamber to the boileror reservoir connection, Whereby the piston may be exposed on one side to liquid in the boiler or reservoir and on the other side to steam, air, or other gas or vapor, and a valve, operative by the action of the pump, connected to the piston and controlling a passage through which Water flows to the boiler.

9. A casing adapted to be attached to a boiler or reservoir, a chamber in the casing, a piston in the chamber, a passage from the cham her to the boiler or reservoir connection, whereby the piston may be exposed to steam, air, gas or vapor above the liquid-level in the boiler or reservoir, and a restricted passage through which the piston may be exposed to the action of liquid, or of steam, air, gas, or vapor, in the boiler or reservoir, when the casing is connected with the boiler, a valve connected to the piston and controlling the supply of liquid to the boiler or reservoir.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ISAAC H. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

(J. F. BROWN, H. L. ROBBINS. 

